condensed novels(压缩小说)-第21节
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be worth four hundred and thirty…eight dollars and ten cents；and then I
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might marry Mary。 Ah； Mary！〃 The young carpenter sighed； and； drawing
a twenty…five cent daguerreotype from his vest…pocket； gazed long and
fervidly upon the features of a young girl in book muslin and a coral
necklace。 Then； with a resolute expression； he carefully locked the door of
his workshop and departed。
Alas！ his good resolutions were too late。 We trifle with the tide of
fortune which too often nips us in the bud and casts the dark shadow of
misfortune over the bright lexicon of youth！ That night the half…consumed
fragment of John Jenkins's cigar set fire to his workshop and burned it up；
together with all his tools and materials。 There was no insurance。
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CHAPTER II。
THE DOWNWARD PATH。
〃Then you still persist in marrying John Jenkins？〃 queried Judge
Boompointer； as he playfully； with paternal familiarity； lifted the golden
curls of the village belle； Mary Jones。
〃I do；〃 replied the fair young girl； in a low voice； that resembled rock
candy in its saccharine firmness；〃I do。 He has promised to reform。 Since
he lost all his property by fire〃
〃The result of his pernicious habit； though he illogically persists in
charging it to me；〃 interrupted the Judge。
〃Since then；〃 continued the young girl； 〃he has endeavored to break
himself of the habit。 He tells me that he has substituted the stalks of the
Indian ratan； the outer part of a leguminous plant called the smoking…bean；
and the fragmentary and unconsumed remainder of cigars which occur at
rare and uncertain intervals along the road； which； as he informs me；
though deficient in quality and strength； are comparatively inexpensive。〃
And； blushing at her own eloquence； the young girl hid her curls on the
Judge's arm。
〃Poor thing！〃 muttered Judge Boompointer。 〃Dare I tell her all？ Yet I
must。〃
〃I shall cling to him；〃 continued the young girl； rising with her theme；
〃as the young vine clings to some hoary ruin。 Nay； nay； chide me not；
Judge Boompointer。 I will marry John Jenkins！〃
The Judge was evidently affected。 Seating himself at the table； he
wrote a few lines hurriedly upon a piece of paper； which he folded and
placed in the fingers of the destined bride of John Jenkins。
〃Mary Jones；〃 said the Judge； with impressive earnestness； 〃take this
trifle as a wedding gift from one who respects your fidelity and
truthfulness。 At the altar let it be a reminder of me。〃 And covering his face
hastily with a handkerchief； the stern and iron… willed man left the room。
As the door closed； Mary unfolded the paper。 It was an order on the corner
grocery for three yards of flannel； a paper of needles； four pounds of soap；
one pound of starch； and two boxes of matches！
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〃Noble and thoughtful man！〃 was all Mary Jones could exclaim； as she
hid her face in her hands and burst into a flood of tears。
* * * * *
The bells of Cloverdale are ringing merrily。 It is a wedding。 〃How
beautiful they look！〃 is the exclamation that passes from lip to lip； as Mary
Jones； leaning timidly on the arm of John Jenkins； enters the church。 But
the bride is agitated； and the bridegroom betrays a feverish nervousness。
As they stand in the vestibule； John Jenkins fumbles earnestly in his vest…
pocket。 Can it be the ring he is anxious about？ No。 He draws a small
brown substance from his pocket； and biting off a piece； hastily replaces
the fragment and gazes furtively around。 Surely no one saw him？ Alas！ the
eyes of two of that wedding party saw the fatal act。 Judge Boompointer
shook his head sternly。 Mary Jones sighed and breathed a silent prayer。
Her husband chewed！
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CHAPTER III。 AND LAST。
〃What！ more bread？〃 said John Jenkins； gruffly。 〃You're always
asking for money for bread。 Dnation！ Do you want to ruin me by your
extravagance？〃 and as he uttered these words he drew from his pocket a
bottle of whiskey； a pipe； and a paper of tobacco。 Emptying the first at a
draught； he threw the empty bottle at the head of his eldest boy； a youth of
twelve summers。 The missile struck the child full in the temple； and
stretched him a lifeless corpse。 Mrs。 Jenkins； whom the reader will hardly
recognize as the once gay and beautiful Mary Jones； raised the dead body
of her son in her arms； and carefully placing the unfortunate youth beside
the pump in the back yard； returned with saddened step to the house。 At
another time； and in brighter days； she might have wept at the occurrence。
She was past tears now。
〃Father； your conduct is reprehensible！〃 said little Harrison Jenkins；
the youngest boy。 〃Where do you expect to go when you die？〃
〃Ah！〃 said John Jenkins； fiercely； 〃this comes of giving children a
liberal education； this is the result of Sabbath schools。 Down； viper！〃
A tumbler thrown from the same parental fist laid out the youthful
Harrison cold。 The four other children had； in the mean time； gathered
around the table with anxious expectancy。 With a chuckle； the now
changed and brutal John Jenkins produced four pipes； and； filling them
with tobacco； handed one to each of his offspring and bade them smoke。
〃It's better than bread！〃 laughed the wretch hoarsely。
Mary Jenkins； though of a patient nature； felt it her duty now to speak。
〃I have borne much； John Jenkins；〃 she said。 〃But I prefer that the children
should not smoke。 It is an unclean habit； and soils their clothes。 I ask this
as a special favor！〃
John Jenkins hesitated；the pangs of remorse began to seize him。
〃Promise me this； John！〃 urged Mary upon her knees。
〃I promise！〃 reluctantly answered John。
〃And you will put the money in a savings…bank？〃
〃I will；〃 repeated her husband； 〃and I'LL give up smoking； too。〃
〃'Tis well； John Jenkins！〃 said Judge Boompointer； appearing suddenly
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from behind the door； where he had been concealed during this interview。
〃Nobly said！ my man。 Cheer up！ I will see that the children are decently
buried。〃 The husband and wife fell into each other's arms。 And Judge
Boompointer； gazing upon the affecting spectacle； burst into tears。
From that day John Jenkins was an altered man。
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NO TITLE。
By WLKE CLLNS。
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PROLOGUE。
The following advertisement appeared in the 〃Times〃 of the 17th of
June； 1845：
WANTED。A few young men for a light genteel employment。
Address J。 W。； P。 O。
In the same paper； of same date； in another column：
TO LET。That commodious and elegant family mansion； No。 27
Limehouse Road； Pultneyville； will be rented low to a respectable tenant if
applied for immediately； the family being about to remove to the
continent。
Under the local intelligence； in another column：
MISSING。An unknown elderly gentleman a week ago left his
lodgings in the Kent Road； since which nothing has been heard of him。 He
left no trace of his identity except a portmanteau containing a couple of
shirts marked 〃209； WARD。〃
To find the connection between the mysterious disappearance of the
elderly gentleman and the anonymous communication； the relevancy of
both these incidents to the letting of a commodious family mansion； and
t
